Information On Fostering Babies/Toddlers?

Question

My husband and I are going to begin the process to foster Babies/Toddlers Any information appreciated, I would love to hear about others experiences, Good or bad. I would also like more info on adopting through foster care, The problems, The difference between going through an adoption say from Haiti to adopting through foster care. How often does it actually happen? Who pays for it, you or the government,FIA etc..

Whats are the classes like for getting into foster care, what medical tests have to be done for you to be licensed?

Thanks!

Answer 1

We've discovered that foster adoption (domestic) is very different from state to state. Some states are very willing to help you obtain a foster care license specifically so that you can do a foster adoption, whereas other state really need foster care parents, so you have to shuttle the child back to the birth parents for repeated attempts at reconciliation until the state decides that the birth parents won't stop beating them, using them to steal to buy drugs, or abandoning them in filth with no food, THEN you get to adopt them. Maybe.

    In general, though, states pay for what you need as a foster parent -- classes, stipends. You may only need attorney fees for an adoption. Some states make you pay for the home study, but not many. You'll also need a Dr. to certify that you can parent, and that you don't have some diseases (our crazy state only cares about tuberculoses, cancer, & HIV).

    With toddlers or babies, usually you'll get the cases where the birth mother has given the child up for adoption, but the state mandates that there's a period where she/they can change their mind (3 days, 30 days, depends on the state). If the chosen adoptive parents can't face another situation where their child is taken away again by another birth mother who changes their mind, foster parents are called upon to fill this temporary time period. These children are rarely "adoptable", because they've already been matched. Also, your state may have total & complete disregard for the ages you wish to foster and may bring you teenagers in the middle of the night because both parents were arrested in a drug raid, and the kids have no place to go, and the State Social Worker is desperate, so they'll try anybody who has a foster license. (Gee, hope you live in a different state than I do!)

     Honestly, unless you can really take the heartache or really have a heart for temporary foster situations (God bless all those folks who do!), adopt from a situation where parental rights have already been terminated (domestically, that usually means development, emotional, or mental challenges requiring treatments, Dr.'s, and or therapy). In the international arena, you have some more cases of abandonment because of poverty. You also can have all of the cases above (abuse, neglect, delays, etc.), however, they usually already have parental rights terminated, there's no reconciliation attempts to support, and it's more expensive. Sometimes a LOT more expensive.

Answer 2

The only difference I know of about domestic adoption and iternational is that if you adopt through the foster system ( at least in NC) there is no huge fee just court costs...however international costs bookoos of dollars.  But you do go through the process of waiting and making sure you get along with the child in both of them...I was considering doing it eventually as well and am learning too.  Hope this helps?

Answer 3

Toddlers will have different needs with regards to attachment and development, depending on their previous situation.

You may want to join some adoption support discussion boards to talk to other parents, such as http://www.soulofadoption.com

Usually adopting from foster care is free, but the requirements vary by state. I know my state has the process and requirements detailed on their department of human services website, so you may want to look there for your state.